1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to display cases, and more particularly to an award display case particularly suited for mounting and attractively displaying a piece of headgear along with awards, medals, and other memorabilia related to the headgear.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Distinctive headgear, such as caps and helmets are worn in various occupations, sports, and in the military. Most persons retain the headgear as a memento of fond memories and pride of having spent time in the military service, sport, or occupation. Most persons will also accumulate various awards, medals, banners, ribbons, and other memorabilia representing achievements, or reminders of events which took place during their time in the military service, sport, or occupation.
Some memorabilia such as photos, newspaper clippings, and other flat articles may be preserved in a scrapbook or album. Other small items such as medals, banners, ribbons, and the like may be mounted in a frame and hung on the wall. However, the headgear is usually stored out of sight in a closet or other location because of its size and lack of a convenient display holder or support.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a display case which is particularly suited for mounting and attractively displaying a piece of headgear along with the awards, medals, and other memorabilia which are related to the headgear.
There are several patents which disclose display cases for various articles, but none are particularly suited for mounting and displaying a piece of headgear along with the awards, medals, and other memorabilia, related to the headgear.
Swabado, U.S. Pat. No. 174,358 discloses a wall plaque planter design. Bennett, U.S. Pat. No. 240,365 discloses a team standing display having a series of miniature helmets mounted thereon. Buschmann, U.S. Pat. No. 260,748 discloses an artifact plaque having a medallion. Adler, U.S. Pat. No. 172,325 discloses a combined picture frame and planter box.
Hansson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,996 discloses a decorative display and storage case for storing earrings.
McLellan, U.S. Pat. No. 4,879,145 discloses a display case for storing a memorial flag.
The present invention is distinguished over the prior art in general, and these patents in particular by a display case which is particularly useful for mounting and attractively displaying an article of headgear along with memorabilia related to the headgear. The case has generally rectangular box-like frame divided into an upper portion and a lower portion by a shelf member extending transversely between the side walls. A background panel of rigid penetrable material is disposed adjacent the back wall and has fabric material secured thereon to serve as an ornamental background. The fabric material comprises a first section of decorative fabric material, such as a flag, disposed in the frame upper portion to serve as an ornamental background for an article of headgear, and a second section of fabric fastener material disposed in the frame lower portion serves as a mounting surface for awards, medals, and other memorabilia related to the headgear.
The material in the lower portion has a soft pile formed of loops to releasably receive and retain the hook element of a hook-and-loop type fabric fastener for securing objects thereon by fabric fastener elements and the penetrable material substrate allows objects having pins, tacks, and other sharp objects to be releasably pinned to the background panel. An article of headgear is secured in the frame upper portion, and articles of memorabilia related to the headgear are secured on the fastener material in the lower portion of the case. A pane of transparent material covers the lower portion of the frame and the articles of memorabilia.